London’s best local parks
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By Time Out editors
Posted: Fri Aug 29 2008
Clissold | Springfield | Battersea | Ravenscourt | Gladstone | Brockwell Finsbury | Victoria
Battersea Park Battersea Park, SW11
Battersea Park has so much going for it that it’s almost unfair. What other green space in the capital can boast Thames views, an art gallery and a zoo? It’s so full of variety it’s impossible not to stumble upon something new each time you visit.
No other space so triumphantly meets the requirements of a public park, offering a refuge that’s both functional and beautiful: health and recreation for the urban dweller in excelsis.
Getting in 4/10
The park’s flatness makes for a pleasant cycle around its 5km circumference. It is a bit off the beaten track, though: Battersea Park and Queenstown Road stations are walkable, but otherwise it’s the 137 from Sloane Square or one of several buses from Clapham Junction.
Feature continuesAdvertisementHistory 9/10
Conceived to offer both pleasure and the regulation thereof in one of the capital’s dodgier districts, the park was opened by Queen Victoria in 1858. Five years later, Britain’s first sub-tropical gardens opened here following a plant-hunting mission to India. The constant drone of planes on the Heathrow flightpath evokes the anti-aircraft guns and barrage balloons stationed here during both World Wars. In 1951, as one of the central sites for the Festival of Britain, it was renamed the Festival Gardens and became home to the Guinness Clock, a tree walk and a funfair. After an £11 million redevelopment, it was reopened in 2004 by Prince Philip, but don’t hold that against it.
Park life 6/10
Kids love Battersea Park: the pedalos on the charming, landscaped boating lake, the sights and smells of the walled gardens, an adventure playground, One O’Clock Centres for parents and babies… But really, it’s all about the animals. An enclosure apparently containing deer (they’re elusive) is fun, but Battersea Park’s ace is its family-run zoo, complete with lemurs, meerkats and pygmy goats. The café is a bit of a disappointment, offering canteen fare and long queues. Loos, at least, are numerous.
Fun stuff 9/10
Battersea Park hosted the first exhibition of FA-rules football in 1864, and produced Wanderers FC, winners of the inaugural FA Cup. This sporting tradition continues, with tennis courts, all-weather pitches, wickets, the Millennium Arena athletics track and a bowling green and boules pitch. Trim trails litter the park for the many runners training for the frequent 5km and 10km runs. Jazz concerts take place on the bandstand every Tuesday and Friday evening in summer, while other shindigs include Battersea Dogs and Cats Home Reunions, fairs and shows in the ‘British Genius Site’ (effectively a big car park).
Landmarks 8/10
The Pump House art gallery is Grade II listed and home to splendidly quirky exhibitions. The Peace Pagoda (to commemorate Hiroshima) provides a gateway to the curious oriental-themed ‘Grand Vista’. Plenty of intriguing sculptures dot the park, including a Henry Moore, an odd Soviet-style war memorial and ‘Brown Dog’, a tribute to the hound that became an emblem of the anti-vivisectionist movement. Gabriel Tate
Total: 36/50
Battersea Park, SW11 (www.batterseapark.org). Battersea Park/Queenstown Rd rail or Sloane Square tube then 137 or 432 bus. Open 8am-dusk.
Clissold | Springfield | Battersea | Ravenscourt | Gladstone | Brockwell Finsbury | Victoria- Add your comment to this feature
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13 comments
As part of the £8.9 million restoration grant from Hackney Council and Lottery funds. Hopefully the football Goalposts will be fixed, and the basketball hoops sorted.
Actually why dosn't the Council ask the community what they would like to see improved in the park?
Is this too far fetched. An outdoor Sculture on the form of a type of rock looking surface that doubles as an outdoor freeclimbing rock for children and adults to climb around. It has movable climbing holds. Oh and outdoor ping pong tables like the one in London Fields?
Your thoughts.
the squatters, on the contrary, cleaned up the place that has been mismanaged by hackney council for a number of years allowing prostitutes, junkies and graffiti kids to trash it at their will.
they've put a lot of energy into clearance and planting stuff around and been evicted for no purpose and all their hard work trashed to leave place to, once again, a bare, uninviting picture.
i hope michael dixon, mark white and other hackney parks officials burn in hell long and nice.
Can anyone tell me the circumference of Clissold?
The squatters in the house on the edge of Clissold park were doing no harm, it added some colour and variety to the palce.
I really have no idea wat you are trying to say. I won't use sarcasm again as it's clearly been lost into oblivion...
you are very right opinion Mr. Mark I agree with your comments becuase in all the conjested atmospher its caused the pure groom health for the human being thats why i love vic part and also you said right thing, but whilst trends die, quality lives on. its so nice of you
Thanks for that Shami, we get a really good idea of your opinion from that post.
Technically not a park, but Hampstead Heath has to be the nicest outdoor space in London. Okay not as 'trendy' as Vic park, but whilst trends die, quality lives on.
no like the victoira park and i hope it wil win and you Sophie dont has perfect information and i love this park toooooooooo much as you think about it
I loooooveeeeee Vicky Park!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
very nice magazine which keep in touch with the culture of the london city its os beautifful for me
Vic Park wins.
Yes!!!!!
What about Waterlow Park, Highgate?
Hi - re the Parks, specifically Battersea Park's description.
I'm sure "Getting In" to Battersea Park is better than 4/10, more like 8/10, and being almost flat it's very accessible. Public transport - not just the trains from Waterloo and Victoria (and Surrey and Middlesex) plus the London Bridge route and the 137 bus but several other buses pass the park or along Battersea Park Rd from the 452 from Kensal Green and Kensington, the 344 from Liverpool St, and there's the 156 from Wimbledon. Even the 360 bus (South Kensington to Elephant & Castle) stops just over Chelsea Bridge so the visitor gets a short walk across Chelsea Bridge with fabulous river views with the Power Station, or you can catch one of the 3 buses that cross the bridge, including the 44 (Tooting-Victoria).
As far as fun goes - it's a wonderful place to learn to rollerblade especially near the Pagoda (lessons and group skating) and what about the bike hire place which hires out all sorts of bikes for all ages?
Lastly, Battersea Park's famous annual November firework display is brilliant and excellent value.